Emebet greets disabled man in local village – the villagers followed her on her hand cycle chanting her name.
After 9 nights camping we ended our trip at the lovely Limalimo lodge on the green western edge of the Simien Park. The expedition’s key objective was getting Alex and Emebet to the
Alex & Emebet contemplate the peak of Ras Dashen
top of Ethiopia’s highest mountain -Ras Dashen (or Ras Dejen as it is locally known)- at 4,533 meters. Alex Lewis, a quadruple amputee who lost his limbs and a part of his face to a bacterial infection 6 years ago, can power it with his prosthetic arms. Emebet Ale Dires, a young woman from Bahir Dar who had her legs amputated as a 3 year old following a road accident, powers the hand-cycle with her own arms.
Ras Dashen was no easy feat: the peak lies way to the east of the stunning Simien Mountain
National Park. This was a journey where we pitted the engineering wizardry of Southampton university who came up with a hand-cycle / buggy that was able to traverse the rough roads in the Simiens to be ridden by Alex and Emebet in turns. This hand-cycle was tested to it’s limits and beyond, through muddy water pools about 30cm deep, being carried across mountain rivers knee deep in swirling water, through sticky mud that clung to its tires, driving on uneven rocky roads, up and down steep hills. But in the end the icy cold and the altitude impaired the power from the batteries, so as we went on it became increasingly hard to get it up the steep hills.
On the push up the highest mountains the hand-cycle had to be towed by the Landrover. But that said it made it with Emebet or Alex to a point below Ras Dashen where a river had cut through the road. It was at this point that we faced a decision. We could turn this into a mission to fix the road and remove all obstacles with Alex and Emebet as on lookers or we could find another way to the summit that required putting the hand-cycle in the truck for long stretches. All of us agreed and especially Alex and Emebet, that this was the best way forward.
Alex riding Artemis along one of the good roads in the Besho Valley
So with a few more great rides of the hand-cycle on the asphalt road that followed the stunning Besho Valley, but longer stretches with the hand-cycle in the truck we got the team to the afro-alpine meadow beside the rough road below the peak of Ras Dashen. But there is a 3km stretch of steep rock strewn uneven ground, with no way to get a wheeled machine over it. Yet Alex with no legs and arms, and Emebet without legs, had to cross this. Then they had to ascend the steeper slopes to the final craggy peak which itself needed scaling. Although the peak is not a technical climb – I myself need my hands and feet to scale the craggy top.
Having spent six days getting to this point beneath the peak we had become fused into a team. As well as Alex and Emebet, we had an engineering team from
Handcycle attracts crowd in Besho Valley. Each encounter was a chnce to show people that disability is not inability
Southampton University – Dave & Tom. Athletic and outdoors orientated with their engineering background they could find solutions to the many technical issues that came up. We had Dr. Geoff who had saved Alex’s life 6 years before, who thought through many of the challenges we faced with a clarity and logic, and kept us all under his watchful medical gaze. Alex’s helper: Leandra who cared for everyone and kept us all laughing. The ever smiling Behailu who was on hand to translate for and help Emebet. David – our leader who along with
Emebet followed by kids chanting her name
Alex dreamt up this madcap adventure, and who funded much of the hand-cycle development, as well as the expedition itself. He was always on hand to make calm decisions and ensure we stayed safe. Simon – photographer and film director, a gentle calm influence, with an eye for a beautiful picture (although his ‘2 second’ stop was always 15 minutes). Ivan, an affable creative spirit with a desire to connect to the culture and the people, and me – Mark, I run a Tesfa Tours, and have scrambled up most of the corners in the Simiens inside and outside the park, my job was to put the logistics in place.
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Simien National park was stunning as the expedition passed, with Red hot poker flowers out
We also had a fantastic Ethiopian team caring for us: our guide Joshua always managing the team and keeping everyone focused and negotiating down the ridiculous demands put before us. The park expert Lakew (who was really another guide and helped with everything no matter how tough). Our cook Abijo who has been with me on many expeditions along with his support team and our 2 scouts who braved freezing weather to watch over us and ensure our safety. Our two Tesfa Tours drivers Ydne & Abel who in addition to driving with care and skill played their part in the team keeping us going. And finally Babbi, our Isuzu truck driver who was able to get the truck across the most improbable terrain, always with a smile and always helpful.
It was this Anglo/Ethiopian team that pulled together to get Emebet and Alex across the steep rough ground and then up the cliff to the very peak.
Alex & wheelchair carried to the base of the craggy peak of Ras Dashen
The night before after our recce, Dave and Tom rigged up a sedan chair with Alex’s wheelchair using steel poles and gorilla tape. Sunday dawned freezing cold with frost on our tents and an icy wind blowing. We assigned teams of 4 to carry ‘Sedan chair’ back first with Alex perched precariously sitting into the back gripping the handles with his prosthetic arms to avoid being jolted out.
Emebet crossed the rocky terrain on her hands
Meanwhile Emebet just powered across the rough terrain with her arms. When the going got too steep with protruding rocks Alex preferred to clamber over the rocky path using his stumps and prosthetics. All of this was done at close to 4,500 m. We had to have a cut off time of 11:30 – if we didn’t reach the base of the cliff by then we would have no choice to turn back. We wouldn’t have the time to climb, come down and get Alex and Emebet back to camp before dark. With the huge effort and enthusiasm from our whole team we got there by 10:30 after 3 hours of hard work. While us Brits carrying the chair would go 10-15 meters before putting the chair down for a rest, our Ethiopian team members would do more than 20 meters. Ethiopia definitely came out of this with the glory.
Alex hauled up the last 30 meters of Ras Dashen
Once at the rock-face the climbing skills of the team became apparent. Tom, an outdoors enthusiast from Wales had done refresher courses for this trip, while both Geoff and Dave were experienced climbers. David & Alex had also taken some training to get Alex up safely. He was harnessed with two separate ropes going up to the top. But as these things go, it wasn’t so simple on the mountain itself, the two ropes that had been set to haul Alex up had too much friction over the overhangs. In the end yoga mats came to the rescue between the ropes and the overhang and Alex was hauled up meter by meter. It was not however a straight cliff so Alex had to fend of the rock with his stumps and prosthetics.
Emebet turned down the ideas of being hauled up. So she clambered up the same way we all did. She was harnessed and roped up for safety, with a hard hat on. But she didn’t need any of that. She stormed up the cliff, faster than the belay team could draw in the rope.
The team gathered at the peak – Ras Dashen 4,533m
A moment of triumph -Alex, Emebet and David embrace at the peak
Once at the top she went straight over to Alex and gave him an emotional hug. It was a great moment. These two who had started out just over a week before as strangers, had now developed a deep bond, born out of a mutual respect and admiration. Each admiring the others bravery, strength and determination. They had conquered the challenges and summited this tall impressive mountain together.
What we all hope and believe is that Amex and Emebet’s conquest will stand as proof that disability is not inability and that even when life throws a heartbreaking role of the dice that means you live with out the full mobility of most people you can go forward and conquer what lies before you.
